Written Answers

Friday 20 July 2001

Scottish Executive

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14208 by Mr Jack McConnell on 29 May 2001, when a report on its consultation on Promoting the International Dimension in Scottish Schools will be published.

Mr Jack McConnell: We intend to publish this report early in school session 2001-02.

Education

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the conditions for the award of National Grid for Learning funding allow for local authorities to have computer provision targets which are lower than the national targets of 1 modern computer for every 5 secondary pupils and 1 modern computer for every 7.5 primary pupils by March 2002 and, if so, which local authorities have agreed or are negotiating revised or reduced targets.

Mr Jack McConnell: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16563 on 11 July 2001.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of children have been diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis and ottis media by the time they are five years old.

Malcolm Chisholm: For year ending March 2000, 20 children under five years old, representing 0.007% of all children in that age group across Scotland that year, were discharged from NHS hospitals having been diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis.

  For year ending December 2000, from a sample of 54 General Practices across Scotland which provided Continuous Morbidity Recording (CMR) data, 2,903 children (representing 15.9% of children registered in these practices between zero and four years old) saw their General Practitioner with the complaint otitis media. The CMR sample is broadly representative of the national population.

Prison Service

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that there are child friendly visiting facilities in prisons.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) aims progressively to improve visit facilities at all our establishments as opportunities and resources permit. The SPS works closely with the Scottish Forum on Prisons and Families, sponsored by the SPS and Save the Children Fund.

  The forum’s report Facilities for Children Visiting Prisons: A Good Practice Guide supports SPS, agencies and individuals in improving conditions.

  SPS have seconded a member of staff to the forum and one of his tasks is to help SPS ensure that prisons continue to provide the best facilities we can for children visiting prisoners.

Raptors

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the proposals outlined in The Nature of Scotland regarding investigation into more effective controls on the storage and use of pesticides associated with the killing of raptors are being progressed.

Rhona Brankin: Consultation on The Nature of Scotland ended on 29 May and comments are now being analysed from over 100 organisations who responded.

  The storage and use of pesticides, and their effect upon Scottish wildlife, is one of the issues under consideration. It is also an issue being examined by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) as part of its response to Scottish ministers following the publication last year of the Raptor Working Group. Advice from SNH on this matter is expected in July 2001.

Recycling

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being made available to the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution to allow it to continue its farm plastic recycling project.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive is not at present providing funding to the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution for the recycling of farm plastics. However, there are possible sources of funding from the Executive and the institution has been made aware of those.

Recycling

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to encourage the recycling of farm plastics.

Rhona Brankin: In line with the National Waste Strategy: Scotland , adopted in 1999, it is the Executive's policy to promote reduction, re-use and recovery (including recycling) of waste where possible. The Executive supports two initiatives to create and develop markets for recycled materials – the UK-wide Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Recycling Market Development (ReMaDe) Scotland. An aim of WRAP's initial work programme is to stimulate greater use of recycled plastic by raising awareness of the range and quality of products already available. A programme to review plastic standards will also be undertaken with the aim of removing discriminatory standards for recycled plastic products. ReMaDe Scotland has also identified plastic as a priority material for its work to determine opportunities for local market development.

Wildlife

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make any legislative or administrative changes in order to improve the implementation of EC Directive 92/43/EEC, the Habitats Directive, in cases where European protected species are present on development sites.

Rhona Brankin: We recognise that current arrangements are complex and are keen to ensure the appropriate level of safeguard for European protected species which might be present on a development site. We have therefore decided to make adjustments to the land-use planning regime in Scotland.

  Our proposals, which will be the subject of public consultation later this year, envisage the integration of the species protection and derogation provisions of the Directive within the land-use planning process. This will ensure that all relevant issues are properly considered within the planning process, rather than under separate regimes operated by separate authorities, as occurs as present.

  In the interim, pending introduction of the new arrangements, the Executive will continue to operate the licensing system for developments affecting European protected species. A circular will be issued shortly to all local authorities setting out the interim position. Copies of this circular will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.